Gas cut-off



Patented ug. 26, `1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOWARD J. MURRAY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO HENRY SIEBEN, OF HAIDLEY, NEW YORK GAS CUT-OFF Application led November 30, 1926. Serial N'o. 151,818.

The invention relates in general to a gas cut-off of the type in which the valve is normally held in an open position and designed to be closed either by manual actuation from a remote point or automatically through a rise in temperature in the vicinity of the mechanism.

in such devices heretofore known the mechanism for controlling the valve has ordinarily been mounted in an exposed position or in a casing separate from the casing which contains the valve, with the result that there has been provided structures which were not peculiarly adapted to meet the commercial requirements of a small, compact marketable unit which could be contained in the coniined and small available spaces where local re and building regulations require the installation of such equipment.

Accordingly, one of the obgects of the invention is to provide a neat, compact and easily constructed unit which will feature compactness, and at the same timeA permit ready access to the mechanism containing compartment for inspection, resetting and repairs.

Broadly, this is attained by providing both the valve casing and the casing containing the `controlling mechanism as a. single casing with one side of the mechanism casing exposed by the opening of a hinged cover.

ln prior constructions it has been usual to provide separate mechanisms for releasing the sprino' controlled valve, one of which mechanisms is manually actuated and the other released automatically by-temperature controlled means, as for instance, by the melting of a fusible link. Such dual mechanism adds to the production cost and unnecessarily complicates the construction.

Another object of the present disclosure is to simplify such construction; to eliminate the usual duplication of releasing parts, and tovhold the valve in open position against the closing action of its controlling spring by a single restraining mechanism which can be released either manually, or automatically by the melting of a fusible link forming part of the restraining` mechanism.

This phase of the invention is attained broadly by securing the fusible link to a single valve controlling arm and in turn securing the fusible link in fixed position to the hooked end of a manually releasable latch or detent in the formo-f a lever in turn con trolled by a. pull member actuated from a point remote from the controlled mechanism.

The invention also features the utilization of a spiral spring which not only has the virtue of being extremely efficient in those positions where it must be held under tension for long periods of time, but also acts promptly and positivelv when released to secure the valve in closed position. This form of spring in the instant case is additionally advantages ous in that it can be accommodated within a narrow space and thus assist in contributing tothe compactness of the construction as a whole.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be in part obvious from an inspection of the accompanying drawings and in part will be more fully set forth in the following particular description of one form of device embodying the invention, and the invention also consists in certain new and novel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forthy and claimed.

ln the accompanying drawing:

' Fig. l is a view in side elevation of a gas cut-ofi' constituting ya preferred embodiment ofthe invention;

y Fig. 2 is anv end view looking at the right hand side of the disclosure in Fig. 1 and showing the mechanism containing' casing in vertical axial section and taken on the Vline 2 2 of Fig. 3; and

Figy is a view in side elevation looking at the right hand side of the showing in Fig. 2 and with the cover plate in vopen position.

In the disclosure there is shown a single.

ing 10 is mounted on avalve stem l5 which extends through the Wall l2 and is intruded into the chamber 13.

'l ie mechanism casing li is in the form of a fiat cylinder .vith the si e opposite the Wall l2 entirely open so to permit ready access to the chamber and its contained mechanism. T he open side of the casing is normally closed by a cover l5 provided ivith air vents l? and is hingedly connected on pivot pin 1S to one side edge of the casing ll. The casing ll and cover lli are provided With apertured lugs 19 and 2O respectively which when the cover is in closed position are adapted to be engaged by some suitable form of sealing lock 2l.

The intruded portion of the stem l5 is provided vvith a single valve actuating arm 22 which extends radiallyv of the casing ll. To a pin on the arm is secured one end of a coiled spiral spring 24, the opposite end of which is secured to a pin Q5 projecting from the vrall l2. This spring when released reacts on the valve to close the saine lirmly onto its| seat and thus intercept the gas flow through the casing lO is usual iu such constructions. To the free end of the arm 2Q is pivotally connected one end of a replaceable fusible link 26, the other end of which terminates in an cve 2T. rl`he is engaged by the hook end 28 of a tripping lever 29 pivotally mountd on fulcrum pin 30 secured to the wall l2. The opposite end of the lever is provided vvith an eye 3l to Which is engaged a pull rod 32 extending through an aperture in the side of the casing ll. rlhe eye 27 normally rests upon a stop pin which acts to prevent the same from downward movement While the hook end Q8 is being Withdrawn from its eye.

In operation it will be understood that the valve is set in open position by manually rotating the arm QQ anticlockivise and inserting the eye if? over the hook end of the tripping lever after which the cover is closed and the device in condition to be actuated. A pull on the rod causes the lever to swing about its fulerum and thus Withdraw the hook end from the eye end ofthe fusible link. The spring Qel is thus permitted to act through the valve arm to seat the valve in its closed position.

.ln the absence of this manual actuation the the valve arm can be released by the melting of the fusible link. The melting of the link releases the arm and the spring acts thereon to close the valve Without efiiect on the tripping lever. It is understood that the valve may be released for closing movement repeatedly by the manual actuation Withoutinjuring the fusible link and the fusible link is destroyed only when melted. In this case a new link ma)v take the place of he destroyed link as is usual in replacing fusible links in devices of this character.

By means of a device of the character illustrated it is possible to attain all of the advantages inherent in manually a :tuated and self releasing valves as has characterized known similar constructions and the present disclosure has the advantage in that both the manual release and the fusible k are contained as a single linkage acting on the valve arm to hold the same in open position.

'The structure is commercially perfected in that the co Vtaining casings can be formed of a single casting and the valve closing mechanism protected both from the flow in the valve casin ind from unauthorized tampering and vet is readily accessible to authorized parties for iA ie/ction, repairs and r 'ging of a daniaged fuse. The flat coiled spring permits the use of a long spring and at the same time es it to a limited space concentrically of the valve stem and exposed to an air cooling` through the vents in the perforated cover.

lVhile fl have shown and described, and have pointed out the annexed claims, cerrcs of my invention, it will tain novel feaW be understood that various omissions, substitutions in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made those skilled in the art withcui departinf' from the spirit of' the invention.

Having' tlm.; described my invention, I claim:

l. ln a cut-olii, the combination of a single ca^tin includ ag a valve casing, and a mechanism containing casing integral with the valve casing and providel with an open side, said casings provide-:l .v-..-i a common wall. a valve contained in the valve casing and provided :ith a vvalve stem eitending through said common Wall and protruding into the mechanism containing casing, a spring in said mechanisi'n con taiziing cas' P ieinli ng to more the valve to closed position, mechanism housed in said mechanism containing casing normally acting on the stom to hold the valve iu open position and responsive to a rise in tenui/@rature and to a manual. actuation for releasing the sten.: from said holding mechanisin to permit the valve to be moved to closed position by said spring and a cover for said open side adapted to be moved into open position to expose said spring and mechanism.

2. il. valve controlling mechanism including a valve stein provided Yith a single actuating arm, a valve having means actuated by said stein for lifting the valve to closed position, means the arm to hold the same normally in preset position, said mean., including a tripping hook and a fusible link having one end secured to the hook and the other end secured to the arm and a. manually actuated member secured to the hook to trip the hook out of holding engagement with the fusible link and thus release the arm and fusible link by manual Yso CII

operation and said link capable When fused of automatically releasing the arm independently of the manually actuated hook and a spring acting on said arm to close the valve when the arm is released.

3. A valve controlling mechanism including a valve stem provided With a single actuating arm, means engaging the arm to hold the same normally in preset position, said means including a tripping hook and a fusible link having one end secured to the hook and the other end secured to the arm and a manually actuated member secured to the hook to trip the same out of holding engagement with the 1 fusible link and thus release the arm and fusible link by manual operation and said link capable when fused of automatically releasing the arm independently of the manually actuated hook, and a spring normally acting on the arm and tending to move the holding the valve in preset position and a spring acting on the arm for elevating the valve into closed position when released by the tripping of the hook or by the melting of the link.

5. ln a device ofthe class described,the combination of a valve casing, a valve therein provided with a valve stein, an arm having one end secured thereto and the other end free, a spring normally acting on the arm f intermediate its ends to move tl e same in one direction, restraining means normally acting on the free end of the n to hold the same in preset position, sC restraining means including manually i mechanism carried by the valve casiL d automatic releasing means responsive to a rise of temperature of said restraining means.

6. ln a gas shut-olf, the combination of a flat cylindrical casing provided centrally thereof with valve stem intruded into the same, a valve arm secured to the intruded end of said shaft, a i'iat spiral spring having one end secured lto the casing and the other end to the arm adjacent its free end, and means exteriorly of the spring eng(n 'ng the free end of the arm and normally act; g to secure the stemfrom ro' ating under e influence of said spiral spring.

7. ln a cut-olf, the combination of a valve provided ivith stein having an arm, a spring acting on said arm to move the valve, a single linkage secured at one end to a sup- 1port and its other end engaging the arm to hold the same from moving under the influeilce of said spring, said linkage including manually actuated releasing means and automatically actuated releasing means responsive to a rise of temperature in said last named releasing means.

8. In a shut-olf, the combination of a flat cylindrical casing having a valve stein intiuded axially into the same, a valve arm secured to the stem and extendino' radially of the casing, a flat spiral spring having one end secured to the casing, Wrapped spirally about the stem and having its other end secured to the arm and manually and automatically releasable means for securing the arm against the tendency of said spring to rotate the valve stein.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination of a valve stem mounted for rotary movement and provided with a valveand an arm, a spring acting on the arm in spaced relation to the valve stem to exert a leverage effect thereon, tending to rotate the same in a direction to move the valve on to its seat and acting on the closed valve to hold the same firmly in engagement with its seat, means for securin the valve in open position against the tension of said spring, said means including a replaceable fusible link separable from the arm and having one end engaging said arm and the other end provided with eye, and manually actuated means normally supporting the eye-containing end of said link and adapted to release said end to permit the link to move With the spring actuated arm.

10. In a device of the class described, the combination of a valve provided With a valve arm, means tending to move the valve arm in one direction and acting therethrough to move the valve on to its seat, means for securing said arm in position to hold the valve olf its seat, said last named means including a manually releasable detent, a fusible link With one end secured to the arm ant the other end engaging cetent, and an abutment positioned to be engaged by the link to hold the link While the detent is being released.

11. in a device of the class described, the combination of a valve stein mounted for rotary movement, an arm extending radially therefrom, means acting thereon and tending to move the valve into closed position, meansk for releasably securing the arm in position to hold the valve in open position, said means including a manually ieleasable latch, and a long connector between the latch and arm, said connector extending with its length substantially at a tangent to the circle of rotation of said arm and including a fusible part, and means to hold the connector in said tangential position While the latch is being released.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York this fifth day of November, A. D. 1926. v

HOWARD J. MURRAY. 

